Major in Linguistics and Philosophy

Program 2, also known as the Program in Language and Mind, aims to provide students with a working knowledge of a variety of issues that currently occupy the intersection of philosophy, linguistics, and cognitive science. Central among these topics are the nature of language, of those mental representations that we call “knowledge” and “belief,” and of the innate basis for the acquisition of certain types of knowledge (especially linguistic knowledge). Students have the option of pursuing either a philosophy track or a linguistics track. Both require a core set of subjects drawn from both fields and are designed to teach students the central facts and issues in the study of language and the representation of knowledge. Each track requires, in addition, a set of subjects drawn primarily from its discipline and is designed to prepare students for graduate study either in philosophy/cognitive science or in linguistics.

Required subject for both tracks:

One of the following:

24.900 Introduction to Linguistics (CI-H)
24.9000 How Language Works

note: 24.900 and 24.9000 are equivalent subjects; credit cannot be received for both

Students choose either a linguistics or philosophy track

Required Subjects for Linguistics Track

24.901 Language and Its Structure I: Phonology
24.902 Language and Its Structure II: Syntax
24.903 Language and Its Structure III: Semantics and Pragmatics
24.918 Workshop in Linguistic Research (CI-M)

One of the following three Linguistic Analysis subjects:

24.909 Field Methods in Linguistics (LAB, CI-M)
24.910 Advanced Topics in Linguistic Analysis (CI-M)
24.914 Language Variation and Change (CI-M)

One of the following four Philosophy subjects:

24.08J Philosophical Issues in Brain Science (CI-H)
24.09 Minds and Machines (CI-H)
24.241 Logic I
24.251 Introduction to Philosophy of Language

One of the following four Experimental Results subjects:

24.904 Language Acquisition
24.905J Psycholinguistics
24.906J The Linguistic Study of Bilingualism (CI-H)
24.915 Linguistic Phonetics

Restricted electives for Linguistics track

A coherent program of three additional subjects from linguistics, philosophy, or a related area.

Contact Information:

Donca Steriade | Undergraduate Officer | steriade@mit.edu

Required Subjects for Philosophy track

24.251 Introduction to the Philosophy of Language (CI-M)
24.260 Topics in Philosophy (CI-M)

One Logic Subject

24.118 Paradox and Infinity
24.241 Logic I
24.242 Logic II
24.243 Classical Set Theory
24.244 Modal Logic
24.245 Theory of Models
or a logic subject from another department (e.g., Mathematics) with the approval of the major advisor.

Two of the following Knowledge and Reality subjects:

24.05 Philosophy of Religion (CI-H)
24.08J Philosophical Issues in Brain Science (CI-H)
24.09 Minds and Machines (CI-H)
24.111 Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics
24.211 Theory of Knowledge
24.212 Philosophy of Perception
24.215 Topics in the Philosophy of Science
24.221 Metaphysics (CI-M)
24.253 Philosophy of Mathematics
24.280 Foundations of Probability

One of the following three subjects:

24.903 Language and Its Structure III: Semantics and Pragmatics
24.904 Language Acquisition
24.905J Psycholinguistics

Restricted electives for Philosophy track:
A coherent program of four additional subjects, at least two of which must be in Linguistics and Philosophy, approved by the major advisor.

Contact Information:

Tamar Schapiro | Undergraduate Officer & Advisor | tamschap@mit.edu